The Day I Felt Alive

1

Hailee S.

As I was walking around checking out the set, following Jane around as she gave me the tour, I've been here before, well not here specifically but I been on sets before. We came to the front of the stage, there was a young girl directing a group of workers who were moving a huge building set.

"Mike move more towards me, Felix towards backdrop,"

They did as she said, it was a scene from the show.

"That right there works, Lisa the leaves need more color and more depth into them. Try to bring out the leaaves as the wind is blowing them towards the front and fading back, I will take care of the rest."

"Yes Arlene!" The petite girls smiled at her.

They got to work, while the girl Arlene went back stage, came back with other items for the set.

"Hey Jane," Arlene walked up to us.

"Hey Arlene, everything ok?"

"Sorta, the board had to be redone, it could not hold the paint needed, and was making it hard for us to finish the building. Had to make a whole new drawing. I been here all day."

"Well thank you! Why didn't you let us know? We could have had the guys redo the last one,"

"No thank you, they have been painting with me, we almost done. I was headed to the wardrobe to see how they were doing,"

"Arlene, let me present you Hailee, Hailee this is our best and one and only designer who can finish work and go beyond what's always asked for, always everywhere we go too."

I smiled at her, we shook hands, I was too stunned to speak, "Nice to meet you, will I be working a lot with you?" Her light grey eyes looked at me.

"Yes she will, she's one of the main characters, she will need some costume fittings once you're all done with the set."

"Sounds good, they will start fitting I believe two days from now. I know Frank did let us know we will have two new characters show up, I assumed he was talking about you."

Jane replied back to her, they both started talking about the set and the costumes for the extras, I was just looking at her. She had paint on her hair, clothes over her shoulder, and had two clipboards on her hand.

"Well let me finish showing Hailee around and you guys can talk later for measurements."

"Yeah, yeah no problem." She turned to me, "Nice to meet you, I look forward to working with you."

"Like wise," her hand was rough and firm, her hands weren't like mine, they were working hands. I smiled at her as she walked away from us.

The day dragged on, as the afternoon came to and end, I walked to the stage to look at it one more time.

As I was walking and got closer I saw a small figure slouched over at the far end corner of the board building.

It was Arlene, "Hey," she didn't hear me, I approached her and tapped her shoulder. She let out a small yelp and looked up at me. She took off her AirPods. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you."

She was laughing, "It's ok, you did scare me, I'm usually by myself at this time of day,"

"Really?"

"Yes'm, I get to focus on the details without having the other crew walking around. We can get really crowded."

"I'm sorry for disturbing you,"

"No no worries, I actually have to get going," she checked her phone, "I have a date... oh shoot,"

She was texting back, "Everything ok?"

"Ah," she finished the text and sent it, and closed her phone. "Ah, well it looks like I don't have a date after all."

She gather herself, her brushes off the floor and headed to the back, "Well what happened? Did he cancel?" This is always the best way to know if they are gay or not.

"Uh, no. Apparently she said I stood her up."

"Oh,"

"They never understand how hard it is to be what I am, and also have a life." She washed her hands in a wash off sink that we have in the set. "I can never leave on time to get ready and when I am on my way its always to late for them." She sighed, "This is why I don't go on dates, not everyone understands my job."

"Well it's their loss, they didn't give you a chance, I'm sure you would have made it up to them. And or you know get late dinner or something."

She smiled at me, "yes, or something." she laughed shortly.

"What?" I laughed too, "what was that?" I followed after her.

"Nothing," she led us to the back room, "Well I guess I don't have to change,"

"Well you look fine to me," I chipped in beaming at her.

"Why are you here so late?" she dissed my flirting, or am I that bad? Was I even flirting? it has been so long talking to someone. 

"I, umm, I have rehearsal and practice with the crew, I only have time at nights with this new contract."

"Oh, and will they be here soon? because its only the night shift crew that will be coming in shortly, right now you'll be staying by yourself."

"I'm not sure." I looked around, it was pretty empty and a little dark in the theater area.

I saw her check her watch.

"Well I don't have anywhere to be, I can stay with you till the guys show up."

"You will do that for me?" I followed her to the other side of the theater where usually all of us rehearse.

"Yeah, anything can happen to you- not saying it will- but it's dark and people tend to sneak in once in a while for a picture, they are harmless but the actresses, actors, clients get angsty, they get stressed." she looked back at me, smiling. "But you look like you can handle yourself."

I smiled back, I had my training clothes on, I looked badass. I said so myself. "Yes, I can," we got to the open area, "This is my stop."

"Well now we wait." She walked to a table with some chairs. "What else you got to do today?"

"Hmm, basically this months have been a lot of training, physical, mentally, and emotionally. I mostly do music, but I loved the idea for this new opportunity."

"So you're like a workout, eating healthy kind of girl?" she sat back on the chair and started looking at me, "You really are beautiful, pictures on the internet don't do you justice." She stood up, "respectfully, that is." Smiling she left me, "have a goodnight."

I watched as she walked away, and I heard the night crew come in and my phone started ringing, my team was here for training too.